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[Penny Lane]

This is a silly question, but if Paul McCartney had never become a bass guitarist, what other instrument(s) should he be famous for playing?

He does so well in other musical roles--I think he's quite good as a lead guitarist and drummer.

[An Apple Beatle]

My guess is guitarist which was his preferred instrument at first.

[Penny Lane]

^  But what kind of guitarist?  Lead, rhythm, etc.?  

[An Apple Beatle]

Good question. As an accompany instrument to his fine vocals, I'll say rhythm, perhaps acoustic. This is if he never shook off the Little Richard piano bug!  

[fendertele]

i reckon he would be a lead/rhythm guitarist and would probably do the solo's,

George would be all out lead
John would play rhythm
and paul would do a bit of both

[DaveRam]

Keyboards maybe , although i understand he's  a good drummer ?

[JimmyMcCullochFan]

Didn't he try his hand as a lead guitarist once and froze on stage during a solo and that ended any talk of him being a lead guitarist?

[Penny Lane]

^  Ouch, when was that?  Like during the Hamburg days?

[tkitna]

Didn't he try his hand as a lead guitarist once and froze on stage during a solo and that ended any talk of him being a lead guitarist?

I never heard that before. He was a guitar player though before accepting the bass role (which he never wanted to do). I believe Paul would have become pretty damn good at any instrument if that was what he chose to play at the time.

[Bobber]

Yes, that story is correct. I'll look it up. But I remember reading that Paul really messed things up as a lead guitarist and that even he realized that this wasn't the way to go. He was pretty good at the piano as well of course and developed that as early as the Hamburg days.

[Jane]

If he had stayed a pianist since Hamburg days the Beatles might have been a different band from what it actually was. It seems he wasn`t quite sure which instrument to choose at that time. Was it just Stu`s leaving them that made Paul choose the bass?

[pc31]

paul drove stu out and took over the bass postion grudgingly.........but john told him sod off you ran stuie off...after all bass players weren't usually a front man back then....i think roy young could have inspired paul being a penist  .......roy was very professional and a quite accomplished player...a true professional while the beats were just larking around...albert lee was the only other professional back then..... in those days there were only 2 of them...

[fendertele]

I never heard that before. He was a guitar player though before accepting the bass role (which he never wanted to do). I believe Paul would have become pretty damn good at any instrument if that was what he chose to play at the time.

I have heard the story too but  i agree with Tkitna and think Paul was the most natural musician in the band and no matter what instrument he chose he would become the best at it in the band be it drums, guitar, bass or vocals

[Mrs Lennon]

Paul as a non-bassist?! (bigeyes2) *shudders*

[Penny Lane]

Paul as a non-bassist?! (bigeyes2) *shudders*

Haha...

Well, if Paul wasn't a bass guitarist, the world wouldn't blow up, but perhaps the Beatles would've been a different-sounding band.

While he is talented at other instruments, I am glad he's a bassist.  I have a deep fondness for his Hofner viola bass; it looks great and is pretty much his symbol.

[tkitna]

paul drove stu out and took over the bass postion grudgingly.........

Can you blame him? Paul wanted the band to be good. Hell, me or you could play the bass as well as Stu and i've only picked one up twice and that was just to look at it.

[Paulram]

^  Ouch, when was that?  Like during the Hamburg days?

I think it happened in his first apperence with the Quarrymen. Poor boy got butter fingers and slipped up

[FourMiles]

Well, for Paul freezing up on stage? Geez.. then I do have something in common with him :-). I think all of us as musicians have hit a bump in the road now and then and I

[FourMiles]

Can you blame him? Paul wanted the band to be good. Hell, me or you could play the bass as well as Stu and i've only picked one up twice and that was just to look at it.

Yep.. totally agree. There was a movie about the years with Stuart Sutcliffe and it portrayed Stuart as not really giving everything he could to the band, which appeard to rub a little on Paul. Stuart was more interested in Art. From what I know, Stuart started on bass and that process is like learning to type with two fingers. Starting on guitar gives you a better understanding of what it takes to play bass. Not that it can't be done, it just gives you an advantage.